


Alone Together

by Vetashad



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Asexual Character, Blind Date, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Overthinking, Party, Rainy Days, UshiTen Week 2020, Ushiten Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26080651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vetashad/pseuds/Vetashad
Summary: Tendou Satori, though he may seem like he would, doesn’t like partying. He’s loud and fun, sure, but he would rather stay home and entertain himself while his roommate, Semi, goes out all night. He’s not missing anything. Not until Semi sets him up on a blind date during a classic Saturday night college party.
Relationships: Oohira Reon & Tendou Satori, Oohira Reon & Ushijima Wakatoshi, Semi Eita & Tendou Satori, Semi Eita & Ushijima Wakatoshi, Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Comments: 9
Kudos: 207
Collections: Ushiten Week 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are mentions of sexual assault/rape (no rape actually occurs, just a character worrying that it might be a possibility) and mentions of alcohol in this fic! Please don’t read if those will make you uncomfortable! 
> 
> This is my Day 1: Blind Date entry for Ushiten Week 2020! Enjoy!
> 
> Find me on Twitter [@vetashad](https://twitter.com/vetashad)

“It’s Saturday night.”

“Saturday night?”

“Yeah. Sunslate Apartments, on 28th street. Number 207.”

“Is it on the ground floor?”

“No, the parking garage is on the ground floor, you need to go up the stairs.”

“Whose apartment is it?”

“I don’t know. Some theatre major. Doesn’t matter. She buys a shitload of alcohol and throws huge parties.”

“I can’t drink, I’m an athlete.”

“Ha, yeah. That’s bullshit, but that’s not the point. Someone’s going to be there that I want you to meet.”

* * *

“Satori!” Semi threw open the door to his and Satori’s college dorm, like he thought he had the element of surprise and that Satori hadn’t heard him fumbling with the lock for thirty seconds before his sudden entrance.

“Semi!” Satori matched Semi’s ardent tone and volume, but didn’t look up from the textbook he was studying out of. He figured Semi had something to tell him and would demand all of Satori’s attention soon. The upstairs neighbor banged on their floor to make them shut up, a relatively common occurrence. Occurring in response, and just as commonly, was Semi throwing a shoe at the ceiling and screaming obscenities. 

When he was done, Semi flopped on Satori’s bed, already overcrowded with Satori’s tall frame, textbooks, notes, and a mismatched collection of pens, pencils, and highlighters. “What are you doing Saturday night?”

“Is this a pop quiz?” Satori propped his chin on his hands, deftly twirling a pencil in one hand, just below his jaw. 

“Maybe.”

“Am I going to fail?”

“Probably.”

Satori heaved a dramatic sigh. “I don’t know. I might get ahead on next week’s readings. Or watch a movie. Or go out onto the roof and incur a thousand dollar fine. And let me guess,” Satori fixed Semi with a look. “You’re going to a party.”

“ _Ding ding ding_ , you’re correct! On that one at least. The others are _wrong_ , because _you’re_ going to that party, too!” Semi grinned, clearly pleased with himself for his plan to get Satori out of the dorm and into the realm of college social life.

“But Semiiiiiiii,” Satori whined.

“No. No. Nope. We’re gonna get you laid. I still can’t believe you made it all the way to college with out ever having sex. Like, _come on_ , it’s a rite of passage!” Semi said. Satori barely even _thought_ about sex, and when it was brought up, a lot of the things that people said didn’t make sense to Satori. It seemed like everyone else was in on some slightly uncomfortable inside joke that Satori didn’t want to know the details of.

“ _Uggggggh_ , I don’t want to ‘ _get laid_ ,’ Semi,” Satori rolled over onto his back and draped his arms across his face. “Honestly, I can’t believe you made it into college since you were apparently too busy having sex to do your homework.”

“He’s tall,” Semi urged.

“ _I’m_ tall,” Satori huffed.

Semi waved a hand. “Taller than you. And an athlete. Real hunk.”

“What sport?” Satori asked. He had been an athlete in high school. It was a slim chance, but maybe the guy played volleyball, too, and Satori could finally have _something_ in common with someone.

“I don’t know. Guess you’ll have to go to the party and talk to him yourself to find out!” Semi said, a smugly triumphant look on his face.

Satori threw his arms in the air, then let them drop carelessly across his chest. “Fine. But, you have to do your dishes as payment.”

“Hey, it just _looks_ like a lot of dishes to you, because you never eat enough to make dishes.”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t make dishes and leave them in the sink all night.”

* * *

When Saturday came, it was busy for Satori. More busy than he was used to, not being a party animal like Semi. Satori talked a lot after he “came out of his shell,” as Semi had put it, but loud music and crowds of strangers made him uncomfortable. He had a bit of a tendency to get overwhelmed after a while, so Satori never went to parties of his own volition. Partying also got in the way of doing things that Satori _actually_ enjoyed, like reading or watching anime, so he elected to stay home while Semi went out at night.

But, this time, he had given in because Semi had insisted: he could be a little hard-headed at times and wouldn’t take no for an answer. To Satori, this time looked like one of those times. And, he had a shot at making a friend besides Semi, so that seemed like a good enough reason to Satori. If all else failed, he could just leave and walk back to his dorm.

* * *

It was early afternoon on Saturday, just after Satori and Semi had gotten lunch and boba together, when Satori learned there were a lot more rules to party-going than he knew.

“So, what’re you wearing tonight?” Semi asked, slurping probably half his tapioca in one go.

“Just this? Is there something specific I need to wear?” Satori looked at his outfit. An oversized sweater, skinny jeans, and high-top Converse. Casual, and it kept him warm with the chill in the air starting to set in.

“Mmmmmm, no. You’re not wearing that.” Semi threw an arm out in a grand gesture. “You need to show some skin! You want to look _good_ at the party. Honestly, I don’t know why you wear this stuff. You’ve got the body to do so much more, and what you’ve got here is generally described as…comfy.” Semi finished pointedly.

“What’s wrong with comfy? It’s soft and keeps me warm…” Satori knew his outfits didn’t look bad, as Semi’s sometimes did, and he got cold easily, so he didn’t see the problem with how he dressed. He wasn’t trying to impress anyone with his looks; he knew from prior experience that people didn’t see him as anything but “ _creepy_ ” and “ _terrifying_.”

“Comfy’s not _sexy_ , Satori. I’m buying you an outfit for tonight. My treat.”

“Where do you even _get_ this money, Semi?”

* * *

Satori was pretty sure he vetoed the majority of outfits and garments that Semi claimed he’d “look _amazing_ in,” including a green velvet shirt with ruffles straight out of a period drama, a fishnet hoodie whose holes defeated the purpose of being a hoodie, and a iridescent mesh t-shirt that Satori could _see right through_.

Some of the pants Semi offered him were an affront to humanity’s decision to evolve sight, and Satori preferred to not acknowledge their existence, especially since there was now a strong possibility he would be seeing Semi flaunting them in the near future.

* * *

What Satori ended up with, though he still had a few reservations about what Semi called the “best parts,” was a black, sleeveless shirt with a high neck and angular mesh panels on the sides, that skimmed close to his body, and a pair of black jeans that were much higher waisted than he was used to and laced up the front, instead of a zip or button fly. 

Semi insisted that the shirt be tucked into his pants, and, when Satori didn’t do it as quickly or neatly as he liked it, took it upon himself to get it settled. Satisfied with his work, Semi squealed at how tiny Satori’s waist looked in snugly-fitting clothes, and danced away to finish readying his own outfit.

Satori was “ _allowed_ ” to wear a pair of black Doc Martens he already owned, which he was secretly relieved about. He wasn’t crazy about the idea of buying new shoes directly before standing around in them for hours with no guarantee of a place to sit. He was already going to be uncomfortable at the party, he didn’t need the added misery of blisters or pain from shoes not yet broken-in.

“Hey, get your pretty little ass over here.” Semi had _The Bag_ out. The Bag was Semi’s makeup bag, and Satori was, frankly, terrified of it. It was huge, overfull, and a complete mess. Everything that came out of there was coated in a fine dust of powder and glitter. Things had broken, or opened up, or _exploded_ in there too many times to count, without a thorough clean-up between instances, or ever. There was no telling what was actually _in_ The Bag, so Satori felt it was safe to assume that the secrets of the universe were in it, solely because no one would be able to find them in the chaos.

“What are you going to do to me?” Satori asked, a little shakily.

“Don’t act like I’m going to kill you with this. Get over here.” Semi gestured forcefully for Satori to come closer.

“But, I’m scared. Your bag could have the gates to Hell in it and you wouldn’t even know.” But, Satori took a seat on the edge of Semi’s bed. He,thankfully, only ended up with some artfully smudged eyeliner that accentuated the red in his irises and made his eyes burn like smoking coals. Satori thought that the contrast between his vibrant red hair, his pale skin, and the dark eyeliner made him look even _more_ demonic than he usually did; Semi called it “ _sultry_.”

“See. Sexy.” Semi murmured next to Satori when they were both finally finished and standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the mirror. “You look amazing and the guy you’re going to meet will think so, too. He better, or I’m gonna kick his ass.” 

Satori only nodded. He was starting to get more and more nervous as the party got closer. He was wearing clothes he would never pick for himself: they were too form-fitting, too _revealing_ for his comfort. He was also worried about Semi’s promise to “get him laid.” Satori wasn’t interested in that and didn’t know what to say if someone suggested it to him, or worse, forced it. Fear flared in his stomach about being powerless against someone too drunk to listen to reason; Satori wasn’t physically strong—he was tall, but he could be overpowered with enough motivation. He realized, slowly, that his hands were shaking, and pressed his palms against his thighs to steady them. 

“Hey, hey. Don’t be nervous. Nobody knows what to expect before their first big party, but you’ll be having fun in no time. Let’s get going.” Semi said, gently setting a hand on Satori’s shoulder. He could be pushy at times and didn’t understand Satori’s certain _discomforts_ , but he was Satori’s friend and kind enough to say something when he saw something was wrong. 

Satori’s fears didn’t go away, but he felt a little more confident that Semi, an accomplished party animal, would keep him safe, so he let Semi lead him out of their dorm.

* * *

Satori could hear the beat of the music thumping long before he ascended the stairs from the ground-level parking garage to the floor the party was on. Semi was familiar with the place and the people, which only lead Satori to believe that parties like this one were commonplace at this particular apartment. He wondered how anyone in the complex got any sleep at night with someone blasting music that loud and that frequently. 

207 was a corner unit, and a little bigger because of it, but it still wasn’t nearly big enough to fit the amount of people inside. 

When Semi opened the door, Satori’s senses were assaulted with sound and color and movement. The music, much clearer and much louder than before, blared from the TV and a few large speakers. People milled about in the living room and kitchen, holding a mismatched collection of cups and glasses, no doubt full of alcohol, talking loudly or dancing if space permitted. They were dressed in a dizzying array of bright colors, busy prints, sequins, glitter, mesh, layers, and cut-outs. Satori could see now where Semi’s taste in fashion came from, and it came from spending too much time at parties. 

The door swung shut behind Satori and he jumped. He shook himself a little to try to ease his nerves and leaned close to Semi’s ear. “Where’s the guy you wanted me to meet?” Satori wanted to spend as little time as possible this environment, so he thought it best to get what he was here to do over with.

“Huh?” Semi turned to Satori, clearly deaf to any normal volume of speaking. 

“I said, where’s that guy?” Satori raised his voice over the music a little, but not enough that anyone besides Semi would hear. They were probably all to absorbed in their own activities to care, anyway. 

“Uhh, knowing him, kitchen probably.” Satori leaned to look around Semi, into the kitchen. It was almost directly to the left of the front door, with only a little alcove with a table, covered in drinks and mixers, between them. It was narrow, stocked with snacks, and jammed with people. A tall, broad-shouldered guy with a stoic face and munching on a veritable mountain of raw vegetables and hummus, stood at the back, staring Satori’s way. 

When he saw Semi, he put down the plate and started pushing through the throng of people between him and the entrance of the kitchen, politely, but with the ease of strength and weight. 

“That’s him. Go make a friend.” With that, Semi pushed into the living room crowd, loudly greeting a guy with thick, slanted eyebrows and an undercut, and leaving Satori alone and exposed in front of the door. 

“Hello. Semi said he wanted me to meet someone he was going to bring. Is that you?” The guy, though only maybe an inch or two taller than Satori, seemed to tower over him, but he also seemed to bring an aura of calm with him, partially blocking out the din of the party with his broad physique, clothed in a somewhat drab ensemble of jeans, a button-down, and blazer.

“Hi, yes, hello. That’s me.” Satori said awkwardly, his foreign surroundings making his heart beat too fast. He was a little disappointed in himself for his floundering greeting. Usually, he could hold conversations with much more grace, but the noise and the nerves were making him stumble. 

“Would you mind going outside?” the guy asked.

Satori froze for a moment, desperately trying to figure out if the question was some sort of jab disguised as polite conversation. He had been asked to leave before in similar manners by people who only wanted him away from them, but Satori only saw honesty in his eyes. “Oh! No, not at all, actually.” He turned, ripped open the door, and practically ran outside. The guy followed and shut the door behind him firmly. They walked a little ways away from the door, until the music faded enough for them to speak at a normal volume.

“Okay, uh, hi. I’m Tendou Satori.” Satori stuck out his hand for a handshake. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this guy looked familiar, but he didn’t know from where. He figured since he didn’t remember, it wasn’t someone he knew well and it was probably best to introduce himself, especially because he hadn’t when they were still inside.

“Ushij—“ Satori saw the other guy’s thoughts grind to a halt when they looked at each other’s faces properly for the first time. His heart sank: this guy was just another person to chase away with his creepy, _monstrous_ looks. “I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi.” He finished when his brain finally rebooted. He took Satori’s hand in a firm handshake, his opposite hand clasping over their joined ones, enveloping Satori’s hand in both of his.

“JFK’s handshake, huh?” Satori said when the handshake ended. The guy, _Ushijima Wakatoshi_ , stared at him blankly. “The two-handed handshake? JFK, John F. Kennedy, that American president in the sixties, I think, he was known for doing that. Made people feel at ease. Welcome in his presence.”

“My…” Wakatoshi stared at his hands. “My coach told me to do that when meeting people to seem more friendly.”

Satori laughed. “Are you meeting that many strangers?”

“I play on the Men’s National Volleyball team. I meet fans.”

“National team…? Oh my god.” Satori’s hand flew to his mouth. The reason this guy looked _so_ familiar was that he was _the_ Ushiwaka, prodigy hitter and guaranteed player on the national team before he was even old enough to qualify to hold a spot on the team. He had been seeing his picture in magazines and newspapers for years. _And_ , Satori had played against him in high school. Once. Ushiwaka and his elite team had wiped the floor with Satori’s, but he thought he had given the star ace a run for his money. Satori remembered seeing the sweet, sweet frustration on his face when his balls got knocked down. His fingers hurt too much to even hold a pencil in his classes the next day, but Satori thought it had been worth it.

“Are you okay?” Wakatoshi frowned slightly at Satori’s reaction.

“Yeah. Fine. We’ve met before, actually,” Satori gestured between the two of them. “I played volleyball in high school, too. We played against each other once.”

“…you were a middle blocker?” Satori’s mind reeled. Did the world-famous Ushiwaka remember _him_ , from a single high school practice match?

“Yep.” Satori mimed a block with just his hands. 

“You were good. I couldn’t understand how you knew where I was aiming. Do you still play? On the college team?” Wakatoshi gestured for Satori to follow him as he headed for the stairs. This conversation looked to be a long one and neither one of them wanted to go back into the blare and discord of the party, so it was better to leave, find a quieter place to talk. 

“Thanks, but I actually quit after high school. I just run in the mornings now.” He shrugged, “running’s kinda growing on me, you know?” Satori followed Wakatoshi down the narrow staircase, through the parking garage, and onto the sidewalks again. The sun was almost below the horizon, with only a few fiery streaks fading quickly into darkness. 

“And how did you know?”

“Know what?”

“Where I was aiming my hits.”

“Oh!” Satori laughed. “That’s my little secret, Wakatoshi!” Satori saw a faint look of disappointment crease Wakatoshi’s brow. “Kidding! I watch all the little tells the setter and the hitter, _you_ , have. What direction their feet are facing, how much they bend their knees to give power to a toss, where the hitter looks on my side of the court. All the things that give away your thoughts.” 

“And that’s what made you such a formidable blocker?” Satori laughed. He _never_ would have described himself as _formidable_. He was skinny, hated lifting weights, and talked too much about manga to his friends. Satori only turned his opponents’ unconscious actions against themselves, nothing more, nothing less.

“You’re funny, Wakatoshi! But, sure.” Satori saw a small smile on Wakatoshi’s lips. Others might find his face stoic and cold, but Satori could read him. It made him want to keep talking to Wakatoshi, to continue this open, sincere conversation. “What about non-volleyball things? Like, what do you study?”

Wakatoshi winced. “I like raising plants, so I chose a botany degree plan, but my math class…goes a little fast.”

“Aww, Wakatoshi, you’re in luck! I’m a math major, we could be study buddies!” Satori generally didn’t offer tutoring, he _did_ have his own classes to pay attention to, but he felt like he could be himself around Wakatoshi. Conversation was nearly effortless.

“That would be nice.”

* * *

Satori and Wakatoshi wandered around the streets of their university, veering away from other Saturday night parties with loud music, getting to know each other and walking a little too close together for two people that had barely just met, as the night sky turned from deep purple to black and a chill set in. Satori was shivering in his sleeveless shirt, but trying not to let it interrupt his time with Wakatoshi. 

“You’re cold.” Wakatoshi announced abruptly. 

“It’s a bit chilly, yeah.” Satori flexed his fingers, feeling the stiffness that cold brought on in his knuckles starting to develop. 

“Here.” Wakatoshi removed his jacket and draped it around Satori’s shoulders. It was warm and pleasantly weighty as Satori burrowed into it, drawing the front closed with a hand. “Can I walk you home?”

“Uh, okay. Sure. It’s this way.” Satori pointed with his free hand from the gap above where his other one was holding the jacket closed before tucking it back into the warm confines of the garment. He didn’t expect Wakatoshi to be such a _gentleman_ to someone he had known for a night.

* * *

Standing on the front steps of his dorm building, Satori felt like just one night’s company with Wakatoshi wasn’t enough. Talking to him was so _easy_ ; it might have been because he would just let Satori ramble, but it seemed like he was genuinely _listening_ , something that Satori had experienced so rarely. It felt wrong to let him go, but life was unfair and good things were fleeting. And, Wakatoshi probably had better things to do than spend time with him; Satori was likely just another meaningless nuisance, meant to be endured and forgotten.

Satori turned toward the doors, but froze when Wakatoshi spoke again. “What are you doing tomorrow?” He was wringing the jacket Satori had just handed back to him in his hands. “I…would like to see you again. If that’s okay.”

“I’m…not doing anything tomorrow. I’m free.” Satori said slowly, warmth growing in his heart.

“I live in West Holly and my roommate leaves for a study group at eleven. Would you…would you like to come over?”

Satori smiled. “I’d love to.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Satori awoke to his alarm in the morning, from a dream. A wonderful, fantastic dream that he had spent the night wandering the streets with someone that cared to listen to him, someone he really clicked with. He had come from a party, and the person had offered him his jacket to chase away the cold and walked him home. Satori snorted softly. There wasn’t a life like that in store for him, if his usual interactions with people had taught him anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my piece for Day 7: Rainy Day/College au for Ushiten Week 2020!!

Satori awoke to his alarm in the morning, from a dream. A wonderful, fantastic dream that he had spent the night wandering the streets with someone that cared to listen to him, someone he really _clicked_ with. He had come from a party, and the person had offered him his jacket to chase away the cold and walked him home. Satori snorted softly. There wasn’t a life like that in store for him, if his usual interactions with people had taught him anything. 

He rolled over and sat up on the edge of his bed, untangling himself from his blankets and sheets. He usually slept curled up in the upper corner of the bed closest to the wall, trying to conserve body heat. Satori sometimes felt like he was fighting a battle against air-conditioning-induced frostbite, and this morning was no different. 

When he was free, Satori looked to the opposite side of the room where Semi was sprawled on top of his covers, still in a party outfit and wearing shoes. Satori sighed, then tilted his head. He _remembered_ this particular outfit, and Semi wasn’t known for wearing the same thing twice. He stood, stretched, and started slowly readying himself for his morning run, wondering why Semi’s outfit from last night’s party had stuck with him. He didn’t usually care to remember how Semi had violated his eyes every weekend. 

It wasn’t until Satori was putting on a headband to keep his hair from falling into his eyes while running, did he spot the leg of black jeans, the texture too smooth and buttery to be his normal ones, draped over the side of his laundry hamper. _The lace-up jeans_. His own party outfit. The clothes he was wearing in his “dream” that was no dream at all. 

Satori sucked in a breath. Apparently, the night before, with _Wakatoshi_ , seemed too good to be true. So good, he had somehow convinced himself that it had been a dream. 

His hands shook with nervous excitement as he ran through the details of the night, dismissed at first as his brain’s unconscious fantasy, but now sharp and much too real in his mind. He took the stairs down, as he usually did in the mornings, debating if Wakatoshi had actually meant it when he had invited Satori over the night before. 

Satori stood on the front stairs, the same stairs Wakatoshi had told him Satori was worth his time to listen to, in fewer words. He decided to run by West Holly Dorms, where Wakatoshi said he’d be, to calm his overworking anxieties about _getting lost_ and being late for when Satori left again later in the morning. If he could navigate there correctly now, the second time should be a piece of cake. 

He shoved off, taking the last two steps in one stride, and took a deep breath. Satori pulled the crisp air in through his nose, let it fill his lungs and chill his core, before pushing it out again, leaving a faint puff of steam hanging in the light of the watery, early-morning sun.

By the time Satori got to West Holly, running parallel to the building on the opposite side of the road from its entrance, it had started to drizzle. The rain was light, but it promised a heavier fall with the way it plastered Satori’s hair to his head and condensed on his eyelashes, blurring his vision when he blinked.

He stopped at a crosswalk, across from the corner of the building and looked up at it. Satori thought it looked broad and serious, all grey stone and blocky angles. Kind of like Wakatoshi, he thought, grinning to himself. Satori laughed as the light changed, wiping rain from his eyes and picking up speed again. He would have to tell Wakatoshi that, he would appreciate it.

* * *

Satori unlocked the door, drenched in icy rain more than sweat, and shivering, to find Semi asleep still, but having kicked off one shoe, the other still hanging off his toes, and with a pillow over his head. He unhooked the shoe and let it plunk down next to its match before peeling off his own soaked socks, shoes, and jacket.

The air conditioning was blowing again, making goosebumps stand up on Satori’s damp skin and making sure his fingers didn’t return to their usual pale pink from the faint purple and grey they turned in the cold and wet. Satori didn’t understand why the A/C hadn’t switched over to heat yet, with the temperatures dropping and rain starting. In the room, they had no control over the climate, so Satori just had to make do in sweaters and socks when he was cold, which, according to Semi, was more often than any normal human being should be. As he wandered to the showers, Satori wondered if Wakatoshi’s dorm was warmer, or if he’d just have to suffer there, too.

Satori still had a few hours before Wakatoshi expected him over, which he was grateful for. He still needed to shower, half of which would consist of returning to a normal body temperature, get dressed, figure out what he needed to bring with if Wakatoshi wanted to look over his math homework together, and actually walk back across campus to West Holly. _And, deal with Semi_ , Satori added to the list as he held a hand under the water to test its warmth. 

The familiar cold burn, overloaded nerves not being able to make sense of what they were feeling, told him the water was hot, but not how hot. He stepped under the stream and quickly shot a hand out, turning the knob a little back to the cooler side. Satori wanted his shower _hot_ , but not enough to burn him. His hands, too cold to tell him what the water felt like, were no use, so he had to use a different part of his body, like his shoulder or back, to find out. 

Satori stood under the spray as blood flow returned to his cold, stiff fingers and the searing numbness subsided enough to actually get on with getting clean. As he scrubbed soap over his body, he idly wondered if Semi would be awake by the time he left for West Holly, let alone by the time he got back from showering. Considering how he still had his shoes on when Satori woke up, the answer to that was a solid _probably not_.

Satori returned to the room, dressed, to find he was right. He had a pretty good read on Semi and his habits at this point, so Satori could guess he had returned early in the morning and had only been asleep for a few hours. 

Satori peeled a sticky note from Semi’s old, but nearly untouched pad, and wrote a note for when he woke up, probably hours after Satori had left for Wakatoshi’s, in the afternoon.

_Went to Wakatoshi’s to hang out. Don’t know when I’ll be back._

_Drink water. No, more than that._

_You know where the Tylenol is._

_Take a shower. I know you’re nasty._

_Satori_

Satori stuck the note to Semi’s phone screen, the first place he’d check when he woke up, and, noticing it was unplugged, plugged it in with a soft snort. Semi was always a mess after he got home from parties, and from the amount of alcohol Satori had seen on that little table in the apartment, now he knew why.

* * *

Satori spent a quiet hour or two preparing to see Wakatoshi again. He shoved a binder of old calculus notes in his backpack since Wakatoshi hadn’t specified exactly which math class he was taking, only that he was having trouble. Satori could probably just _explain_ the concepts to him, but he thought that a visual aid and worked-through practice problems would be helpful. Wakatoshi didn’t really strike Satori as the type that could learn solely by listening. Satori didn’t learn like that, so he didn’t want to assume Wakatoshi did. _And_ , he had said that lectures went a bit fast for him, so Satori thought old notes were a safe choice. 

Satori paused. He was probably overthinking. It was just _studying_. If one method didn’t work, they could just try another. It didn’t have to be perfect the first time. _Don’t think everything has to be perfect the first time, Satori, that’s stupid and impossible._

But, talking to Wakatoshi had been perfect and, so far, there had only _been_ a first time. Nervous unease twinged in Satori’s stomach. What if he couldn’t recapture the magic of the night before? What if, upon talking to Satori the second time, Wakatoshi decided he had made a mistake? What if they _didn’t_ click like Satori had thought they had? He would be alone, again. Rejected, again. _Hated_ and _abandoned_ and—

Satori’s phone alarm interrupted his thoughts and he dived to silence it before Semi heard it and woke up. He stood, hands shaking slightly. It was time for him to get ready to leave. 

He gathered up his bag, wallet, phone, keys, boots because it was wet out, a hoodie because it was cold, and reached for his umbrella, only to remember that he had loaned it to a classmate before and gotten it back mangled and unusable for some absurd reason. He sighed and hoped his hoodie would keep him at least _somewhat_ dry.

* * *

Satori didn’t have much time for his anxieties as he navigated, again, to West Holly. Between dodging under ledges, avoiding cloudy, muddy puddles, and moving as fast as he could without slipping in the middle of a crosswalk, his mind was a little too occupied with _the now_ to be worry about the _in fifteen minutes_.

When he reached West Holly, he rushed right through the door. With his soaked hood up, his wet hair hanging in his eyes, and the heavy rain, he nearly bowled over someone coming the opposite way through the door.

His boot slipped, sending his foot flying out from under him, but the person he had run into caught his arm in a vice grip and steadied him. 

The vice grip relaxed, and, heart racing, Satori pulled down his hood to look at the stranger that had saved him from wiping out in the lobby. He was shorter than Satori, but sported a lot more muscled bulk.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you through the rain! Are you okay?” Satori could feel him looking at him, but didn’t dare make eye contact. People didn’t like it when Satori stumbled into them, especially with only a lame excuse as to why it happened.

The stranger laughed. “Am _I_ okay? You’re the one who almost fell. Are you okay?” He had kind eyes and a kinder smile, Satori saw, when he stole a quick glance at his face. 

“…yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks.” Satori said. He hadn’t expected the guy he ran into to _not_ be angry at his recklessness, like others usually were.

“I’m glad, but I’ve got a study group to get to. See you around.” He waved to Satori, and started to turn toward the door again. _Study group?_ Satori knew Wakatoshi’s roommate had a study group today and it was almost eleven. It could be a coincidence, but—

“Wait! Are you Wakatoshi’s roommate?” Satori snatched his outreached hand back. _People don’t like to be touched by strangers, Satori._

“Uh, yes. I am.” The stranger looked bewildered now. 

“It’s just Wakatoshi wanted me to meet him here but I think he forgot to tell me his room number and he said his roommate was leaving for a study group at eleven and it’s almost eleven so—”

The stranger cut him off with a laugh and a wave of his hand. “You must be Satori. He doesn’t usually talk much, but he told me about you for an _hour_ last night. Half of that was him _lamenting_ how he forgot to get your phone number, but,” he put his hand out for a handshake. “I’m Reon. We’re in 411. He’s waiting up there for you now.” Satori shook Reon’s hand, his kindness starting to put him at ease. “Oh, _wow_. Your hands are seriously cold.”

“Ha, yeah, they just kinda do that when I’m cold, sorry.” Satori grinned sheepishly.

“Okay! Study group! See you later!” Reon waved again and finally pushed through the door, leaving Satori. He turned, and headed to the stairs. There was an elevator, but Satori didn’t use elevators if he could help it. He didn’t like being trapped in such close quarters with strangers and strangers didn’t like being trapped in such close quarters with _him_.

* * *

Satori stood outside the door, studying it. Metal numbers, reading 411, shone, clean and polished. The door itself was a rich, reddish wood, much like the pillars in the lobby, that seemed to create a warmth in the air, or, Satori _would have_ believed that if his knuckles weren’t still stiff. If he remembered correctly, this dorm didn’t have communal bathrooms, like Satori had in his building. It was the “rich kids’” dorm, meaning that Wakatoshi probably came from a family with money.

He raised his hand, ready to knock, but stopped. His knuckles hovered over the wood, poised to let Wakatoshi, his _friend_ , Wakatoshi, know he was here. But…he didn’t have to be. Not if Wakatoshi didn’t want him. Not if Wakatoshi had only meant what he said as a formality, not anything to be acted on. Not if they weren’t really friends. How could someone forget to tell the person they invited their room number? Or forget to make some way to communicate if they were apart? Reon had said Wakatoshi was waiting for him, that they had talked about him the night before, but Satori had no way of knowing if what he had said were _good_ things. He could have been telling Reon all about the creepy guy he met that talked too much, the weirdo that dragged him away from a party where he was having fun.

Maybe Wakatoshi didn’t really want him here. Maybe he should leave. Satori lowered his hand, tears starting to well up in his eyes. He was too much. _Always_ too much. Wakatoshi hadn’t _meant_ it when he invited him, what the _hell_ was he thinking? No one ever meant it. 

Satori could feel a sob building in his throat. How pathetic was he, standing in the hallway, crying because he was an idiot that let himself think that someone liked him, someone _wanted_ him. He curled his fingers into the front of his damp hoodie, until his fingers pressed, almost painfully, into his sternum. Clutching his chest, he forced the sob down until there was nothing but a small gasp that escaped his lips.

The door, _Wakatoshi’s_ door, opened in front of Satori. His eyes widened as he guiltily untangled his hand from his sweatshirt, but its dampness left it crumpled and slightly tented. 

“I thought I heard someone out here. Do you want to come in?” Wakatoshi’s voice was as smooth and deep as it had been the night before, warm and rich, like melted chocolate.

“Sorry! I was just about to knock, but I got distracted.” Satori plastered a bashful grin on his face, hoping his tears weren’t too evident. But, Wakatoshi frowned a little, and Satori suspected that they were.

Wakatoshi stepped aside and Satori moved past him, looking around the room as the door was shut behind him. He had been right about the private baths: the door to it stood open immediately to Satori’s left. Ahead, there were two sets of beds and desks, both tidy and neat. Satori couldn’t tell which was Wakatoshi’s and which was Reon’s. A few houseplants stood on the window sill, green, healthy, and thriving. Wakatoshi _did_ say he was a biology major with a botany focus.

Satori stood awkwardly in the middle of the room as Wakatoshi followed him in.

“Would you like some tea? Or coffee?” Wakatoshi gestured to one of those fancy coffee makers that Satori had seen in commercials before. The person in the ad always popped in a little pod, filled the tank with water, pressed a button, and, like magic, they had a hot drink ready at their fingertips.

“…hot chocolate?” Satori asked hopefully. Wakatoshi nodded, then produced two mugs, one boring grey, the other painted with vines and flowers. As he set a pod in place and a mug under the dispenser, Satori slid off his backpack and set it against the bed on the right. 

“You can take your shoes off. And,” Wakatoshi reached over to the bed on the left, the one that had to be his, to pick up a sweatshirt, “I apologize that it’s not freshly washed, but…yours is quite wet.” Satori took the proffered hoodie, slowly, perplexed. That was two _different_ jackets on two _different_ days. _Was…was Wakatoshi trying to say something?_

Satori took off his boots and damp sweatshirt, laying it on top of his bag in hopes it was dry by the time he left, and slipped into Wakatoshi’s. It was warm, like he had been wearing it before Satori came in, and smelled pleasantly sweet and musty, like potting soil and freshly cut grass, or trimmed flowers. And, although Satori liked his sweaters oversized, he was drowning in Wakatoshi’s. _Wakatoshi’s_. Satori took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the sweatshirt, of the hot chocolate for him, brewed coffee for Wakatoshi, the faint sweetness of the flowers in the window. It was _paradise_. Perfect the first time, and every time after. How had Satori doubted this? He felt so silly now, for getting in his own head. Wakatoshi wasn’t like other people. He didn’t have cruel intentions at heart, only honesty and openness and sincerity.

Wakatoshi handed a mug to Satori, the one with painted plants, steam and a rich sweetness wafting from it. He took his own mug and sat on his bed, back resting against the wall. “Join me?” 

Satori smiled, and climbed up next to him, careful not to spill his drink. He sat cross-legged and held his mug in both hands, allowing its heat to seep into his knuckles. Satori turned to look at Wakatoshi and found a softness in his eyes that made his heart flutter. 

Wakatoshi lifted his arm expectantly. “I know you’re cold. I have plenty of heat to spare.” Satori laughed. They were cuddling on their second date, _if_ it could be called a date, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Satori moved under his arm and nestled his head against Wakatoshi’s shoulder. His arm came to rest on Satori’s side, hand rubbing gentle circles on his ribs. It was undeniably warm in Wakatoshi’s embrace. Warm and safe and natural and Satori wanted to live in this feeling, the feeling of being in Wakatoshi’s presence. “…were you crying outside the door?”

Satori was taken aback. He looked up at Wakatoshi, astounded. He thought he had played his behavior off well enough, but apparently Wakatoshi was more perceptive than he thought. “I…” He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. The lie died on Satori’s tongue. “I was.”

“Why?”

“Because…because I thought you didn’t really want me to come. I didn’t know your room number, and I didn’t have your phone number, either. I met your roommate downstairs as I was leaving. He told me where to go. I just…got caught up in my thoughts.” Satori finished, then took a sip of his drink. 

“I’m sorry. I forgot to give you that information last night. I was just so eager to see you again.” Wakatoshi met his eyes, and Satori could see no trace of duplicity in his gaze. “When I looked at you for the first time, I couldn’t think. You were, you _are_ , the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. And the most interesting. You see things in the world that I never would have noticed without you. You have the brightest smile, the most creative mind, and cutest laugh I’ve ever heard.”

“Wakatoshi…”

He looked into his coffee, the depths swirling in his mug. “I apologize if I’ve…overstepped.”

Satori sat up to face Wakatoshi. “No! No, Wakatoshi, you didn’t. I like being with you. I like being with you more than any other person I’ve ever met. I love your honesty and sincerity. Your passion for things you love is so strong, it’s inspiring. People say you’re cold and unknowable, but that’s not true. I see you. I want to be with you. I just…doubted myself. I’ve always been alone. I didn’t know how to react to someone saying they wanted to be with me.” Satori gripped his mug, heart beating too fast.

“I’ve…been alone, too. I’ve always had people in volleyball, but never around me for just being myself.”

“Then we’ll be alone together, Wakatoshi.” Satori waited until Wakatoshi met his eyes, dark and deep with emotion. Emotion that only Satori would see.

“Can I kiss you, Satori?”

“Yes. Yes, go for it.”

The kiss was short, but sweet and gentle, two people so vulnerable, in a love deep and innocent. 

Satori giggled when they pulled apart. “Did you know that was my first kiss?”

“Don’t you think you’re deserving of more?”

* * *

The rain pattered against the window, but Satori and Wakatoshi were warm and dry inside, tucked against each other, sharing warmth and soft kisses tasting of chocolate and coffee.

The world, cold and cruel and unfeeling, was distant, but when they returned to it, as they knew they’d always have to, they’d face it together, hearts and paths intertwined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couple of quick things:  
> -there’s a bonus part that I was going to put at the end but it ended really poetically and I couldn’t bring myself to ruin it soooo
> 
> ——  
> Semi awoke, finally, to afternoon sunlight streaming through the blinds and a pounding headache. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, hoping the pressing would ease the throbbing, and sat up. 
> 
> When he finally dropped his hands, he scanned the room. Empty. He swung his head to look at the clock, frowning. 1:23 pm. It wasn’t so early that Satori was out on his morning run, so where was he?
> 
> Semi reached for his phone, with the intent to text or call his roommate, flopping onto his side when he lost his balance, then rolled onto his back, phone above him. And stared. There was a sticky note on his screen.
> 
> “Went to Wakatoshi’s to hang out. Don’t know when I’ll be back.
> 
> Drink water. No, more than that.  
> You know where the Tylenol is.  
> Take a shower. I know you’re nasty.
> 
> Satori”
> 
> A lazy grin spread across Semi’s face. He had successfully set up the two loneliest idiots he knew and he was proud of himself, probably more so than he needed to be.
> 
> He peeled off the note to find texts from the morning, some in the early hours, some later, from others. The one that stood out was from Hayato, friend and occasional party-goer. He had been at the party the night before with Semi; he had seen Wakatoshi and Satori leave together, too.
> 
> “broooooo reon said satori your roommate showed up at his dorm as he was leaving to go hang out with wakatoshi you were righttttttt”
> 
> Semi’s grin got wider as he messaged back.
> 
> “lol hell yeah  
> also. i told you so  
> you owe me money”  
> ——
> 
> Okay! That was for the people that spotted Hayato’s cameo in chap 1
> 
> -Second thing! If you’re worrying about Tendou’s hands and knuckles and thinking “wow that sounds horrible and painful” don’t worry!! It’s a minor condition called Raynaud’s! I have it! All it means is that the blood vessels in your extremities constrict more than necessary in response to the cold, leaving your hands and feet looking pale, purple, or grey, feeling cool to the touch, and they tend to “burn” (kinda burny, searing numbness) as they warm up. I also experience stiffness in my knuckles and I thought since Tendou spent so many years in volleyball, that was something he’d feel, too. It’s nothing serious at all, just kinda something you have to live with (aka make your human space heater friends hold your hands)!!


End file.
